bim, had the others not persuaded him, that no man who valued his character could have any thing farther to do with his antagonist, than kicking him out of doors; that his father had taken his part, and justified him in what he had done, leaving a challenge in effect on his nephew's behalf, with any of the party that liked to take it up.

This hint of all others roused Dick's valour the most, and he declared, that his old uncle Dan should have nothing to do in the matter, neither as principal nor second. "You are much more a man to my mind, cousin Joe," added he; "and if you will stand by me, rabbit me, but I will astonish the dogs."

Joseph promised faithfully, and it was resolved between the two, ere ever they fell asleep, that next morning Richard was to challenge all the three, and then let them make the most of it they could. Accordingly, they were early astir, and at it; and as Joseph refused all assistance in penning or inditing the challenges, these were left entirely to the genius of Richard. There was only one thing he was solicitous about, namely, whether the challenger, or the challenged, had the right of choosing the weapons: Joseph assured him, that the challenger had the right, a custom that had emanated from rules in use in the most chivalrous age of France; at which our champion was not a little delighted, swearing he should then have some play with the fellows. Accordingly, after an hour's exercise at hard study and writing, he produced the following three cards :

(6 SIR,

"I SCART your buttons again. You insulted me, and I repaid you, perhaps, a little too hard. I therefore give you another chance, and dare you to single combat, either with cudgels or broad-swords, at such time or place as our seconds shall appoint.

"To Mr. Peter M'Turk."

"Yours,

"RICHARD RICKLETON.

CHALLENGE SECOND.

"SIR,

"I SCART your buttons. You mocked and disgraced me in your own house; and I dare you to single combat, with muskets, at regular battle distance, such as our seconds shall appoint.

"To Richard M'Ion, Esquire."

"Yours, &c.

CHALLENGE THIRD.

SIR,

"I SCART your buttons; and dare you to fair battle, with any weapons you choose, from a doubled fist to a munce-meg.

"If one of these challenges are refused, I will brand the whole fraternity of you for dogs, mongrels, ragamuffins, and cowards!

"To Lieutenant Callum Gun."

"Yours, &c.

When these were finished, he called up Joseph, and read them over to him, one by one, chuckling with delight. Joseph commended them highly, as masterpieces of spirit and good humour, and testified no small wonder at his cousin's powers of composition, so much superior to his address.

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"Snuffs o' tobacco, cousin Joe; what signifies address?" said he; or how can a man hae address, that never spoke to ony body a' the life o' him, foreby herds and drovers? But I was five years at Jethart schools, and twae years at Durham; five and twae make seven, a' the warld over. And gin a man whae had been seven years at the schools, couldna indite a challenge, it would be a disgrace. Sutar me, if I dinna think my learning was weel bestowed, were it only for what I hae done this day.”

Joseph went to each of the gentlemen apart, and delivered him his cousin's message, begging, at the same time, that he would take no notice of the singularity of its manner, for he would find the challenger one that would not flinch a foot from his purpose. Hé likewise requested of each gentleman to return the card into his hand, that whatever might be the consequence, it might not appear against his cousin or himself in evidence; for that he only produced it in testimony of his kinsman's resolution; and with this request every one of the gentlemen instantly complied, informing Joseph, that he should hear from him by the mouth of a friend immediately.

In

When the three met, and the whole absurdity of the thing became manifest, the two young Celts burst out into a roar of laughter, and essayed to treat the matter as nothing else than a piece of absurd buffoonery. this they were not joined by M'Ion, who gnawed his lip in utter vexation, assuring his friends that they would find it turn out a very disagreeable business, and one not to be got quit of with a good grace. "It would be an easy matter to prove him guilty of ungentlemanly behaviour," said he, "and refuse to meet him on these grounds. But I hate that last most miserable of all shifts, and would rather meet the fellow at once, would he subscribe to the rules common among gentlemen."

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"I believe," said Gun," the only way to get rid of such an animal, will be to meet him on his own terms." "Hu! Thamm me if I shall pe dhoing any such tings," said Peter M'Turk. "For Cot pe taking me tiss mhoment, if I ever lifted proad-sword or cudgel either, in te mhatters of offhences or defhences, in all my phorn lhife."

"It is our countrymen's most celebrated weapon," said Callum Gun; "and a noble weapon it is! It further appears to me, that this Border Hector brute, as The appears to us, has made choice of that weapon to give you the advantage, from a sense that he has behaved towards you with rudeness. I must acknow

ledge, that I like the humour and spirit of the fellow better than I conceived it possible for me to do."

"Dhamm his plood, and his pones, and his great piggermost head of confusion and apsurds, if I dhoo pe liking one little piece of his whoule pody and schowil," said Peter. "Cot pe outfacing him, if she'll not shoot him through and through the pody, and come to his nose with dirk and pistol, but I'll not be prhained with a trhee, nor hacked with a clheever like bhoutcher's cauff. Nho; tamn me if I shall !"

"At all events," said M'Ion, 66 we must each of us depute a friend to commune with this madcap boy; and, moreover, none of us can choose one another, but must apply to some new friends to act for us; so that the whole ridiculous business will be divulged to the whole world at our expense. Were the challenger like any other reasonable being, matters might easily be accommodated; but that he is not, is quite apparent ; and besides, the frolicsome youth, his second, will urge him on to every extremity, the more extravagant the better, out of mere fun. For my part, I wish I were rid of it; most of all, for the sake of those connected with him."

M'Ion's friend was the first to wait on Joseph, and tried to persuade him that the thing was all a joke-a good frolic-that it would be worse than madness to persist in. But he found Joseph quite of a different opinion, and resolved, at all events, to insist on the most ample and public apology being made to his cousin, or to abide by the result. The other adverted to the ridiculous choice made of the weapons, asserting, that such a thing was entirely unknown in the laws of duelling. Joseph denied this, and gave him two instances, on high authority, of the same mode having been chosen and acceded to. But he said he had no objections in the world what arms were used, only that he must persist in the challenger having the right of choice, and proposed to speak to his friend, and request his consent that muskets might be exchanged for pistols in the decision of their quarrel. The other re

quested him to do so, assuring him he would find his friend reasonable in every thing.

Joseph went to his cousin Dick, and found him sitting brooding over his courageous enterprise with the utmost satisfaction, and quite impatient for the glorious consummation. Joe mentioned the proposed exchange to him, but he refused it indignantly, saying, "That he was determined to fight them all with different weapons, to show them that he was their master in every thing; and as he knew he would be obliged to fight Callum Gun with pistols, which was a great pity, he insisted on fighting Milon with muskets, or small fowling-pieces. But," added he, "gie my compliments to him, and tell him, if he be the least frighted, I'll allow him a tree."

A tree!" said Joseph; "What do you mean by that ?"

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Whoy, I joost means this," said Dick, with the most perfect seriousness, "that I'll allow him to stand behind a tree. I'll never object to that, and I'm sure, that's very fair."

Why, my dear cousin," said Joseph, laughing like to fall," that gives you no chance whatever."

"Never you fear that, man," returned Dick; "when he sets by his head to take his aim at me, I'll hold you that I have him first for a guinea.'

Such a proposal was the elixir of the soul to Joseph; he went away and delivered it straight. The message, as may well be supposed, put both the second and principal into a notorious rage, and they resolved, that they would no more be mocked by a fool, but meet him on his own terms, and be done with it. Business accumulated on Dick's hand, as well as on that of his second. The latter was left to the sole management of the duelling part, while his heroic cousin was obliged to go and appear in the Council Chamber, to save his bail, and answer to the charges lodged against him. His friend, the lawyer, undertook the management of every thing, else it would have been the worse